For Hawaii governor, discrediting anti-Obama 'birthers' is a top priority

Democrat Neil Abercrombie, who knew Obama's parents, is determined to torpedo the conspiracy theory. Underlying his effort may be a desire to dispel the view that Hawaiians aren't Americans in the same way as mainlanders.

From LA Times Dec 24 (Of course. Neil’s local media pals cover for him 24/7/365 by not reporting rambling and bizarre remarks such as these.)

Reporting from Honolulu —Neil Abercrombie knew Barack Obama's parents when the future president was born here in 1961, and he has been aggravated (senses an opportunity created for him) by the so-called birther movement, which alleges Obama was not born in the United States and thus should be expelled from office.

Now Abercrombie has an office of his own — he became governor of Hawaii on Dec. 6. — and he intends to do something about it.

What, exactly, is unclear. But in an interview this week at the state Capitol, he left little doubt that torpedoing the conspiracy theorists was a priority. (Because Abercrombie needs a foil to portray himself as intelligent.)

"What bothers me is that some people who should know better are trying to use this for political reasons," said Abercrombie, 72. (Abercrombie is using this for political reasons.) "Maybe I'm the only one in the country that could look you right in the eye right now and tell you, 'I was here when that baby was born.'"

(Sweating and visibly shaken) One of Abercrombie's aides (tried to clean up the mess by saying) said the governor is voicing the frustration of many Hawaiians who continue to be troubled by the rumors, which they see as emblematic of the view that Hawaiians are not Americans in the same way as those who live in the continental United States. (Dear reader: Do you know anybody who spends any time thinking about Birthers?)

Abercrombie's Hawaiian (sic) pride may be trumping practical politics. Ample evidence has been produced to discredit the "birther" movement, so in the view of the White House, the Democratic governor's comments are reviving an issue that most people see as resolved. (Which is exactly why he is doing it—to revive an issue Obama long ago milked to death.)